Be Prepared to Enjoy BanffBe prepared. In order to enjoy Banff outdoor activities to the fullest, a small amount of planning and an appropriate packing can save you from sore feet, empty stomachs, and being exposed to the elements. Traveling in the wilderness in Banff (anything outside the Town) is not something that should be taken lightly, as the example we have below will show. The basic things to consider are checking the weather forecast, letting someone know where you are going and when you expect to come back, wearing appropriate walking or hiking shoes, packing layers of sweaters and raingear (you can experience all four seasons in one day), packing enough food and water and matches, and packing bear or animal deterrent devices, such as bear spray (pepper spray), hiking poles, or a big stick.
I can think of no better illustration of the importance of being prepared than this. Believe it or not, this photo was taken in the middle of August several years ago on the third day of what should have been a five-day backpacking trip around Brazeau loop near the Banff-Jasper border.
Backcountry Banff one August day: the importance of being prepared. Photo courtesy John Lemieux. On the first day's 14 kilometer hike in, the weather was perfect August: warm, but not too warm. We were hiking in T-shirts and shorts and the sun was shining. On the second day, the weather came in and it started to ran. Undeterred, we packed up camp and set out for the pass we had to cross in order to get to the second night's camp. We were turned back from the pass by blinding snow and frigid temperatures and had to return to camp. When we woke on the morning of the third day, there was at least a foot of snow, low hanging cloud, fog, and near white-out conditions. Nothing looked familiar and the landscape had literally changed overnight. We grouped up with other hikers and spent the rest of the day trying to stay on the trail back to the car. We kept thinking, "This is crazy! It's August!", but the mountains didn't care. We made it back to the car cold and tired, but alive, thanks in large measure to the fact that we had done appropriate preparations regarding clothing and gear before setting out. The moral of the story is that, regardless of whether you are doing day hikes or overnight backpacking trips, the best thing to do is to hope for sunshine but plan for snow. Definitely pack rain gear, a warm sweater, water-proof matches, some newspaper in a plastic bag, and food and water.
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